Echoes of Solitude

Prologue

I know this is kind of sudden, but, please, it will only take a moment. I want your honest opinion.

Are all human beings truly equal?

We have all questioned this at one point in our lives, and I am sure you have seen multiple answers to this many times. So don't bother answering the question. 

But I would like to bring up the question of how do we determine the worth of a human on a social standpoint?

In our pursuit of understanding, the profound differences among individuals often leave us grappling with a pervasive sense of isolation. Intelligence, a remarkable gift, inadvertently becomes a divisive force, setting individuals apart and nurturing a corrosive ego that fosters a dichotomy of superiority and inferiority. This cognitive landscape is further complicated by our penchant for assigning titles – whether they be egalitarian or hierarchical – as a means to gratify our insatiable egos.

The manifestation of this cognitive hierarchy extends beyond human interactions to our relationship with the broader spectrum of life. By arrogating ourselves as the epitome of intelligence, we've relegated other species to the status of mere "animals," inherently inferior. This categorization arises from a human inclination to compartmentalize and distinguish, and it reinforces a sense of separation from the intricate web of life.

We have given ourselves titles to distinguish our inter-personal relationships and the standings individuals take in our lives. Should one believe one to be more favorable, they are referred to as an equal in status, an example being a "friend." However, should one believe one to be superior or inferior, we create titles that separate one another as such. Master and servant. Professor and student. Adult and child. 

This cognitive distancing is not solely confined to inter-species relationships; it permeates our social fabric as well. As we gain the cognitive ability to contemplate cause and effect, we develop a tendency to ascribe traits that delineate certain individuals as more rational or irrational. This tendency to label, based on perceived intelligence, inadvertently perpetuates a divisive hierarchy, isolating those deemed less rational.

It is truly a double-edged sword that may bring us closer to another, or isolate ourselves further from one another. A great man once said that heaven does not create one man above or below another man. Any existing distinction between the wise and the stupid, between the rich and the poor, comes down to a matter of education. However, I would like to argue that any inequalities are born from titles we create to satisfy our egos need to be superior to one another.

Paradoxically, our attempts to isolate ourselves, both cognitively and emotionally, stand in stark contrast to our innate human needs for attention, affection, and interpersonal connections. Despite our intellectual prowess, we are profoundly emotional beings, and our pursuit of isolation clashes with the very fabric of our emotional needs. In this intricate interplay between intelligence and emotion, we find ourselves ensnared in a perpetual struggle, torn between the rationality that sets us apart and the emotional yearning that binds us to one another. Balancing these conflicting forces becomes a profound challenge, as we navigate the delicate equilibrium between cognitive prowess and the intrinsic human need for meaningful connections.

However, I, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, have been stripped from childhood of the idea of emotions. I have been taught that they simply hinder my intelligence and rationality. I do not comprehend illogical actions caused emotions, as I have simply grown up without it.

It was thrown away for the need of survival, favoring intelligence and strength. I was created to be a monster with the shape of a human.

I do not necessarily care for my emotions, and generally due to my upbringing, I look down upon it.